Cartoons Books

The first time that I flipped through this book, it affirmed what
I already like about this comic strip, which is one of my favouritie comic strips out there. Heart Lamarr's daily antics always have a way of making me laugh. In fact, "Heart of the City" is usually the first comic strip that I read when I get "The Toronto Star" every day during the work week. In closing, keep up the good work Mr. Mark Tatulli; and I hope to see another "Heart of the City" comic strip book sometime in the near future.

I found this comic in the internet and became a daily reader. During my last holiday in the USA I finally had to buy the book. Heart is an amazing girl, full of energy, ideas and she definitely shoots her strait to your heart. It is fun sharing her life and meeting her friends Kat and Dean. - Get to know how a Karli doll subdues Darth Maul. Find yourself in the middle of Karli dolls' weddings, at school, in the theatre or simply see Heart dressed up. Buy the book and become a part of Heart's world!!! Buy it today!!!

I haven't felt this way about a comic strip since the day I saw the very first Calvin and Hobbes. This is truly a magical, wonderful strip! My local papers don't carry it, but I saw it in a bookstore, and after reading only a few pages, knew I had found something truly wonderful. I had to force myself to only read a few pages at a time, since I wanted it to last as long as possible. The writer has truly captured the innoncence and imagination of that age of life like no one has since Bill Watterson gave us Calvin and Hobbes. I eagerly await another book! :)

I recently stumbled across "Heart of the City" at my local library. After a few pages in, I fell in love with it. There are obvious tangents towards Calvin and Hobbes in the style (Heart's mom looks like a more cartoonish version of Calvin's mom), humor and comic timing as well as Baldo (Heart reminded me a lot of Baldo's younger sister both in looks and personality). It doesn't matter to me though that it has a very similar look and feel to Calvin and Hobbes because it's good in its own right.

Right at the onset, the characters are well developed with distinct personalities that are all equally lovable. I especially liked the Star Wars nut, Dean. (I also loved Heart's picking apart Episode 1, extremely accurate too!) The style is just right. It's cartoonish enough to get great exaggerated expressions on the characters and feeling much more alive than many of the rotten comic strips filling up newspapers nowadays (Zits and Fox Trot notwithstanding).

I was shocked to find this book was published in 2000 and here I am finding out about it in mid-2003. Heart of the City is such a great comic strip that I'm surprised it isn't bigger than it is. Congratulations Mark Tatulli, you've made this 26 year old guy a fan of a little girl named Heart.

What a CHARMING little comic strip!!! But it's so sad it isn't printed anywhere except in this nifty little book that I suddenly came upon at my college bookstore. Drawn in this adorable, whimsical cartoony style rather like Calvin and Hobbes (ooh...how I HATE imitations, but this seems to work here), it's all about a very spunky little girl who likes to dress up, play make-believe, dance in a glittery pink tutu and ragged stockings, bawl at sad movies on the tube, and tease her divorced mom about getting another man! Very girlish, yet it's got plenty of wit and a very insightful view about what it's like to be a single young mother living by herself with an very imaginative child and her hyperactive buddies in the very middle of a city as well as those terrific movie take-offs (especially of Star Wars) featuring our plucky young heroine in her famous demin bonnet and ballerina slippers!

The point-haired Boss is just like my REAL CEO.
The consultants hired by my company are really as cynical and expensive as Dogbert
...sometimes I had the feeling, Scott Adams worked in my office...

Amazing!

Highly recommended, at least for self-defense purposes!

Bought this as a Christmas gift for my teenage nephew, I think he has quite a collection now. He was very happy to get it. We are all Dilbert fans in our family!

I'm Not Anti-Business, I'm Anti-Idiot is a marvelous compilation book featuring more of Dilbert's trademark humor on a sometimes dreadful subject: work. While Dogbert schemes to cheat gullible people, Dilbert struggles with his overly incompetent boss, and Alice is working around the clock on pointless tasks. This book also introduces Asok the intern. So join your favorite Dilbert characters on this oddessy through futile projects, idiotic management, and sarcastic co-workers.

One of scott's best books ever. I could not stop laghing. BUY THIS BOOK

There is a reason that many workplaces ban Dilbert cartoons- they are just too darn close to the truth. I've lost track of the number of times that I've laughed myself silly after finding one of his cartoon arcs describing some experience in my own working career.

In his biography, Scott Adams is described as both an engineer and as a member of Mensa. Inspite of this, however, he has a sense of humor....

I'm sure that this confirmation of the absurdity of corporate "culture" has helped more than a few intelligent wage-slaves maintain their sanity over the years. It almost maintained mine.

This volume is exceptional, just like all the other ones. A lot of mysteries are solved in this book but some other mysteries pop up too. I suggest you buy this book... you won't regret it.

this is a great kids book! very romantic and alot of koge donbo cuteness! I luv it! although, isnt it weird how karin doesnt realize kirika is evil? maybe she doesnt realize because shes failing school!
still the cutest manga ever!

I really love Kamichama Karin. I've collected the whole set. I kind of recommend older mature kids to read it, like from 12+. Let's just say that volumes 3 and 6 are kind of, ahem, ODD. I shall not tell you what oddness it is, as I do not want to be a spoiler. But overall, Kamichama Karin is a super funny story!!

OK, I love this series! Spoilers ahead! This book introduces the weirdest character in any manga I've EVER read: Micchi hate 'im. He introduces him self to the class, and on the way to his seat, hears Karin's name, gives her a kiss on the cheek. He's apparently heard of her before. Then, he hears Kazune's name and gives him a kiss on the lips (a random girl: must..e-mail..everyone!). He then starts flirting with Karin relentlessly, despite the fact that she hates it. Once, he grabs her, despite her protests, and gives Kazune a mysterious look, along the lines of "hey, look, I can hug her. Ha,ha." Could Kazune like Karin? The book ends with him pinning down Kazune, saying that he owes him a favor. Hmm... I love the romantic tension and fights!! ;P

As far as the plot goes, Kamichama Karin is a rather generic 'magical girl' story- an ordinary girl suddenly gains magic powers (wowie zowie!) and is forced to fight evil. Sound familiar?
All the characters seem, at first glance at least, to be nothing more than flat archetypes. There's the kind, sweet, motherly girl; the mean, rude, expert fighter guy; the nauseatingly 'normal' girl (the main character, of course); the dashing, polite, gorgeous male love interest; the wisecracking cute mascot. Yes, they're all here.
Not helping matters is the incredibly poor dialogue. For some reason, the translators felt obliged to pump it full of incredibly irritating slang at bizarre moments. This is especially strange-sounding when you realise that half the cast consists of wealthy kids who probably would have been brought up to be extremely polite.
However, even with all of its faults, Kamichama Karin is quite entertaining. It is genuinely funny at times (although the later volumes seem to be less so), and there really are some really heartwarming bits. And it's cute. Good grief, is it cute. I practically had a heart attack while reading the extra chapter in volume 3. Kamichama Karin was drawn by cuteness expert Koge-Donbo (of Di Gi Charat fame), and it shows.
In short, the plot is only okay, while there is some humour and general 'warm fuzzy feeling'-ness. And it's very, very, very cute.

This book stands as the best introduction to one of the best comic strips ever produced. Not only is it packed with hard to find "Krazy Kat" strips, but it also includes a biography of the artist, George Herriman. Some consider Herriman the first African-American mainstream cartoonist. His colleagues didn't know his ethnicity (and Herriman didn't tell them) so some called him "the Greek". He felt he had to hide some of his features from the public. For example, he kept his very curly hair closely cut and hidden under a hat. Not only that, his birth certificate shows his parent's ethnicity as "colored". The prejudices of the time likely would not have allowed an African-American the mainstream status and freedom allowed to George Herriman. So through "Krazy Kat" we get a glimpse of what early 20th century American culture may have missed out on due to its racial myopia. For "Krazy Kat" stands as an absolute masterpiece of its genre.

Herriman found some modicum of fame in his lifetime. William Randolph Hearst (the newspaper magnate) loved Herriman's work and rewarded him with a lifetime contract (according to the biography in the book, Hearst once read a "Krazy Kat" Sunday page and immediately demanded a raise for the artist). Herriman's success didn't come quickly, however. His first big break came in 1897 with the sale of a sketch to the Los Angeles Herald. Around 1901 he landed his first job as a "Staff Cartoonist" (a person who literally reported to the office every day and rattled off strip after strip; very different from today's cartoonists). Between 1901 and 1916 Herriman penned numerous strips (the book includes samples of many of these strips - many in color), including: "Musical Mose" (this strip's overt racial humor would not fly today), "Professor Otto and His Auto", "Acrobatic Archie", "Two Jolly Jackies", "Major Ozone's Fresh Air Crusade", "Home Sweet Home", "Baron Mooch", "Mary's Home From College", "Gooseberry Sprig" (considered to be a direct forerunner to "Krazy Kat"), "Alexander the Cat", "Daniel and Pansy", and finally, in 1910, "The Dingbat Family" (which changed its name briefly to "The Family Upstairs"; it was Herriman's first hit). It was in a "Dingbat Family" strip in 1910 that a mouse first "beaned" a "Kat" with a projectile (in the "running boards" of the strip). Eventually the Kat and mouse sideshow surpassed the main strip's popularity, and "Krazy Kat" debuted as a daily in October 1913 (the famous Sunday pages began in 1916). Herriman kept experimenting with other strips through 1923 when he finally placed his focus squarely on "Krazy Kat".

From roughly 1913 to 1944 (when Herriman passed away leaving a week's worth of unfinished Krazy Kat's on his drawing table) "Krazy Kat" developed from a "Kat" and mouse game (filled with puns, misunderstandings, and musings on the imperfections of language) into a complex love triangle between Krazy (the "Kat"), Ignatz (the mouse) and Offisa Pupp (the dog). Ignatz's entire being revolves around "beaning" the "Kat" with a brick, and Krazy interprets this as an act of love (unbeknownst to Ignatz). Offisa Pupp loves Krazy (in a fatherly sort of way) and his obsession revolves around catching Ignatz in the act and jailing him. Three obsessions collide in an almost jazz-style derivation of themes. Herriman developed this theme brilliantly over 30 years of strips. But overall it defies analysis: the strip can only speak for itself.

Sadly, though "Krazy Kat" counted such dignatiries as e.e. cummings, George Gershwin, Gilbert Seldes, James Joyce, and other literati, as fans, its popularity waned dramatically throughout the 1930s (as it became more surreal, esoteric and unabashedly uncommercial). It was kept in print by Hearst himself. The book does not cover the frustration of Hearst editors at the inclusion of the strip in their papers. They rebelled against it in some cases. Many simply tried to remove it from circulation only to find Hearst himself yelling "keep it in!" So we have, of all people, the controversial William Randolph Hearst to thank for the continuation of "Krazy Kat". By the end of its run "Krazy Kat" only appeared in some 30 papers.

The main focus of this book lies in its numerous incredible strips. The book includes daily strips (most dating from 1938 to 1944) and Sunday pages (dating from 1916 to 1944 with some in color; it also includes both the first and last Sunday pages). If one reason exists to purchase this book, here it is. The strips retain their amazing character even after decades of aging. And the artwork remains astounding. Not only that, the book includes samples of hand colored drawings of Herriman's, and photos of Herriman and his family. All in all, this book opens the door on one of the comic strip medium's most celebrated strips. Those that get hooked should continue thier obsessions (in the true spirit of Krazy, Ignatz, and Offisa Pupp) with the Fantagraphics' series of Sunday pages, and the Pacific Comics club's reprints of daily strips. Someday every Krazy Kat strip Herriman drew will finally appear in printed form. We can hope, at least.

This is a wonderful book for Krazy Katz fans to own. It is large, colorful and very informative on one of Americas great cartoonists. The delivery through Amazon was fast and effortless. The book, a treasure to own. Worth the lower price through Amazon.

This is what all popular art forms should be. A social commentary as love poem. And poem this is. There is very little that someone can write about the Krazy experience without treading in the same terran as this wonderful book. This is were your Krazy love afair begins. And unlike Ignatz you don't show your love with a brick.

This is a wonderful introduction to George Herriman's great comic strip Krazy Kat that ran for several decades in the early twentieth century. This introduction provides biographical background to Herriman's art, a survey of some of his influences, and a very healthy dose of Krazy Kat panels, both color and black & white. It also discusses the way that Krazy Kat became a cultural phenomenon, easily one of the most highly regarded comics of the century, and permeating many other arts as well.

The Krazy Kat strip is utterly insane, surreal stuff. Here is the premise: Krazy Kat (who is usually female but is sometimes apparently male) is in love with Ignatz Mouse. Ignatz loathes Krazy, and to prove it konstantly kreases that kat's krown with a brick. Incredibly, Krazy sees this as proof of Ignatz's affection, and falls even more deeply in love (many panels show hearts rising from Krazy's heart when she is hit by one of Ignatz's bricks). Officer Pup, the town constable, is in love with Krazy and frequently throws Ignatz into jail for hitting Krazy, which causes Krazy to pine for her would-be lover. This is merely the barest sketch of this weird and wild world. The town of Concocino is populated by a host of equally outrageous characters, though the focus continually comes back to the three principals.

Though even the most recent of these strips are over sixty years old, Krazy Kat has stood up magnificently over the years. Part of the reason surely lies with Herriman's enormous gifts as an illustrator. The Sunday strips in particular are things of great beauty, with the frames arcing around the page in spectacular designs of considerable innovation and complexity. The content of the comics reflects a genuine wit and substantial intelligence, while the bizarre love triangle possesses endless possibilities for both humor and pathos. This truly is one of the most unique comics in the history of the medium, and even those who do not usually respond to the genre are apt to find this enormously entertaining.

When I noticed that many of my favourite cartoonists have said that Herriman's 'Krazy Kat' is the greatest comic strip ever, I decided I should check it out. It didn't take long before I agreed with them.

George Herriman is one of those rare individuals who genuinely deserves to be called a genius. That's a word that gets thrown around a little too casually perhaps, but in Herriman's case it is almost an understatement.

He was a brilliantly inventive artist, but his writing is what really sets him apart. A lot of the dialogue is written phonetically in bizarre dialects, a tricky thing to do, but he uses it to great effect.

Whereas space restrictions force cartoonists today to avoid using more words than is necessary, Herriman would often use a lot more, and much of the pleasure of reading 'Krazy Kat' comes from the sheer virtuosity with which Herriman uses language.

That a comic strip could be as funny, as intellectually stimulating, and as beautiful to look at as 'Krazy Kat' seems to me to be some kind of miracle. This book is a great introduction to Herriman and his work. There's a generous helping of 'Krazy Kat' strips, as well as some of Herriman's other work. Anyone who loves comics should have it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

A pleasure to read this book. I listen to a classical music station which includes interesting facts about the musicians' private lives. One day a guest mentioned that she knew where the host was obtaining these interesting facts. So it is a secret no longer; it's this book. Lives of the Musicians is light reading with approx. 2 pages of facts per musician, so it is not an in-depth look at their private lives; however put it on your "Fun" reading list. It is a highly amusing book and a great source of dinner conversation. Also Check out Lives of the Artists:Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neigbors Thought)

My daughter has been studying piano for two years and she is fascinated by the people who score the compositions she learns to play. In school she learns about a different composer each month and always wants to know more when she comes home. She also has a love for anything historical. This book was a great addition to our reference collection because it reaches her on several levels. We happened to come across it at the library and, after reading a few entries, we decided we'd like to buy it. Lots of bookstores stocked the paperback edition, but only Amazon had the hardcover in stock. This is the kind of book you really want in hardcover so that young children can more easily flip through the pages and study the humorous illustrations.

The book includes entries on 20 musicians from a wide range of styles, backgrounds, and historical periods. The entries are engaging for adult readers, yet accessible for a younger audience. My daughter is six and was totally engrossed in the stories of Chopin, Mozart, Clara Schumann and others. I know we will come back to this book again and again.

This is a great book! My piano teacher checked it out from the library and loved it so much I had to buy her a copy! The illustrations are adorable and the bio's are so interesting. A lot of interesting stories that really give the great masters a very human quality! I love reading about the musicians that I'm currently playing! If you are into music and want to know just how human they really were this is a great book!

I got this book for my daughter who is a music teacher. I thought it would be a good reference and teaching tool for her.

My daughter's piano teacher gave her the assignment to read about Mozart as she started her first Mozart Minuet. My daughter was 7 at the time, and although she was reading at above 3rd grade level, I was shocked to find that there was NOTHING available on the internet or in her school library that give her information on composers at HER level. I finally found "Lives of the Musicians" and have actually purchased the book. It's just that good. She is able to read about each composer (for the most part the language is about her level, although she DOES need help with some of the words), and each section is engaging enough to keep her attention.

This book is a must for anyone with a child that wants or is assigned to learn about the great composers.

Todo tipo de imágenes del artwork de big daddy, ... echo de menos algúna lámina mas grande.. pero está muy bien

This is the definitive review of the lovably subversive Rat Fink, the iconic mascot of Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth.
This history of Rat Fink (along with some of his cohorts) evokes the heyday of Ed Roth and the Kustom Kulture he inspired.
Rat Fink personified the 'Anti-Disney' take on the world, popular among social outlaws (of the time) including hot rodders, bikers, and even skateboarders and surfers.
Never serious, but a sincere rebel, R. F. maintained his macabre sense of humor, which endeared him to his devotees, and confused the citizens not in on the joke.

A great book for Ed Roth fans. Very nicely done. I would also get Ed "Big Daddy" Roth: His Life, Times, Cars, and Art for even nicer pictures. Long live Big Daddy!

The various individuals involved with this great man truly did him well by this book. It has motivated me to get out my mack stripers and get some! I'm even pinstriping my toilet seats, anything I can get my hands on! Some great stories and from a truly personal perspective. Great pics to go w/stories too!

Book was in excellent condition. Speedy delivery. Thanks so much.

I can't count how many times I have read this book. I have three versions and the e-book. I have one copy in the washroom I read a little of it everyday. A must have Epic.

I think that all Westerners should be exposed to this classic of the East. Without a doubt, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is one of the very best works of literary art that the human mind had ever produced.
A short synopsis is in order. The novel centers around a rather short, turbulent time in ancient China, following the collapse of the Han Dynasty and predating the rise of the Jin dynasty, the period known as the "Three Kingdoms". In order to rise up against the now-corrupt Han dynasty, the mystic Zhang Jiao began what is known as the "Yellow Turban rebellion". In response to this menace, heroes of China gathered in order to put down this threat. Among these heroes are the virtuous Liu Bei, the loyal and familial Sun Jian, and the cruel and wily (but talented) Cao Cao. After the Yellow Turban rebellion is put down, it is realized that the Han dynasty has grown horribly weak and corrupt, and the heroes leave for home with their own ambitions of ruling China. Liu Bei wishes for the old days (he is a distant relative of the Han line), Cao Cao wishes for personal glory and honor, and Sun Jian wishes to rule China in order to leave it to his sons. Many other players enter the drama (hundreds in fact!), but the story really revolves around these three and their spheres of influence.
The author, Luo Guan Zhong, wrote a book that is at once of strategy, history, psychology, warfare. Although battles are always present, even those readers not interested in warfare can find a great deal in this book. Inevitably, the reader will find himself siding with one of the great Kingdoms of Wei, Wu or Shu, and yet will still feel compelled to feel compassion, elation and sorrow for the others, as their fortunes rise and fall with the changing fates. Each time I read the book (six and counting!), I pull for Liu Bei, who brings himself from commoner status to the highest positions in the land despite his tragic flaw of being TOO virtuous! And yet, I cannot deny enjoying reading about Cao Cao, as he gains support and popularity until the battle of Chi Bi, at which point he falls and must rise again. Also, the ending is fabulous, and unexpected.
However, I must warn the first time reader of the complete deluge of names with which he will be accosted. To further complicate matters, different publishers of the book spell the names in different ways (e.g. Cao Cao=T'sao T'sao, Chuko Lee-ong=Zhuge Liang). I was aided in this struggle by the fact that I had played a game with these characters, so that I was familiar with some of them. The author revels in his knowledge of history, and expects the same of his readers, but the reader may feel completely overwhelmed. Just keep in mind the three main characters, and try to remember who follows whom, and you should do fine (however, it is frustrating when the character Xun Yu introduces the character Xun You, etc.).
"Empires wax and wane, states cleave asunder and coalesce". The first statement in the book is as true today as it was 2000 years ago. If you are a reader who prides himself on his knowledge of the classics, I can honestly say that your mental library is incomplete until you read this book. So, what are you waiting for?

humanity is everything in this book and only thing we have.

I can't finish all my compliment for this book in this short review. You are not gonna believe it is such a splendid book until you read it yourself. This book is a saga with so much wisdom and humanity. It is as good as ancient Greek epic (with all repect to Greek) if not better. The wisdom in it is uncommonly plentiful. Trojan horse looks children's game after you finished the book. Romance of three kingdoms is a part of Chinese lives and now becoming popular in the world. Many Japanese companies make this book as a must-read for management staff. Read this book and I garantee that your time will be delightfully spent.

Romance of Three Kingdoms is not just the novelized version of the history record "Three Kingdoms". It overtook the heart of both Chinese and Japanese. In Japan even younger generation who rarely read literature enjoy the story in the form of either comic books or in popular PC games. In China many of the Chinese Opera comes from the part of this story.

The story is based on the history of ancient China around late 2nd century to late 3rd century when the Chinese continent was divided by three strong kingdoms,Shu(Gui in Japanese),Wu(GO in Japanese) and Wei(SHOKU in Japanese).

I am familiar with the version of Eiji Yoshikawa, the author of Musashi, focusing more on the story of Liu Pei(Wei emperor),Kuan Yu, Chang Fei, and Chuko Kunming. Liu Pei, an heir of Han Dynasty ruling clan, is a humane leader supported by Kuan Yu, deft both in brain and might maybe eastern version of Knight, Chang Fei,short tempered but really strong warrior, and Chuko Kunming the master of strategy.

Rivaling Lie Pei is another giant Tsao Tsao outstanding ruler who nearly took hold of the whole Chinese continent but blocked by the allied forces of Wu and Wei in 208. Tsao Tsao is a bit demonized in this story but he is in fact one of the greatest rulers China ever had comparable to Napoleon. While Lie Pei who has little power gradually gains by charming a lot of talented people by his couteousness yet with propaganda tactics to demonize Tsao Tsao, Tsao Tsao took advantage of courting the Emperor and with the finest staff collected from the whole continent. Tsao Tsao's Shu finally unites the whole China after his death in 265, with the surrender of Wei but Lie Pei, Kuan Yu and Kunming are still loved and idealized by Chinese public. Wu survives by taking either rivaling sides and with excellent domestic and foreign affairs strategy.

On first reading you will be enjoying the way the characters outsmart the other camps. On second reading you will be struck by the humanity upon which the story is based. It is much more than a legend. It will surely get you closer to the mind of either Chinese and Japanese. But be careful. The way character name is pronounced differ between Chinese and Japanese. Such as Tsao Tsao is pronounced in Japanese as SOSO.

I decided to read this book because I've been impressed with Talbot's work in Gaiman's Sandman series, and I was surprised at how much I liked it. It addresses the important issue of sexual abuse in a way that makes it very personal. It also cleverly worked in the synchronicity between the protagonist's life and that of Beatrix Potter. My only criticism is that sometimes the theme of abuse wasn't brought in subtly enough, but overall this was an excellent graphic novel.

I bought this book to write a research paper for my PhD course. My personal impression is that young readers prefer to see more visual material even when 'reading'. This is a great source to inform and educate them on the events that happen in the story. Also the preword and the epilogue are very useful.

This fine graphic novel is a stellar example of what comics can do better than any other artform. Prose by itself wouldn't convey the combined power of text & illustration Talbot uses to such stunning effect. Beginning with the Beatrix Potter-style cover art, he offers layers of emotional & artistic meaning, utilizing flashbacks, fantasy, and harsh realism to tell the story of a damaged but ultimately victorious young woman -- and he's able to tell it from both the inside & from a more omniscient viewpoint. His detailed & expressive faces provide nuances that would do many accomplished actors proud.

What makes this work is that it's not just A Very Special Episode sort of story. Helen is an individual, not a case study, for all the extensive background material. Her story is not simply about healing & recovery, but about the importance of art, as well as the struggle towards wholeness that every human being must undergo. And the lush, colorful art only adds to the richness of this work, which rewards many rereadings. Highly recommended!

I've seen several people criticizing the cover art of this book, and I think this needs clarifiction.

If you read Beatrix Potter books as a child, as I did, you would have recognized immediately that the cover is a direct homage to the classic white covers of the little books. The plain white background, centered watercolor illustration, and even the title font is a faithful echo of every tale she ever published. Go check out one and see if you don't revise your opinion. I was, in fact, drawn to the book immediately BECAUSE I recognized it as a Beatrix Potter concept.

Oh, and the story is a very good one, and timely. :)

Like Spiegelman's Maus and Satrapi's Persepolis books, this graphic novel shows how powerful this genre can be in dealing with brutality, in this case with childhood sexual abuse as well as with animal experimentation, social isolation, homelessness, and a horrifying family life. As society and family prey on Helen, the protagonist, she thinks, she reads, she develops her own thoughts and insists on going her own way--and on getting others, including readers, to think differently about their own preconceptions and assumptions as she sheds her abusers.

Take the example of rats--far from being reviled at best and something to be experimented on at worst, Helen shows other characters and us, the readers, that they're intelligent, amazing creatures that should be respected and even worshipped, as in Hindu religion. What's especially great about this novel is the way that it mixes an unflinching look at horror and brutality (Helen being abused by her father and rejected by her mother; fantasies of suicide; scenes of sexual predation as she hitchhikes; and much more) with a clear appreciation for the power of art and thinking (as well as the positive example of another assertive individual, Beatrix Potter) to help someone come into her own and leave her abusers behind.

This is a great book, with arguably universal appeal. The humor ranges from being rather heady and hard-to-follow, all the way down to being non-sequiter and accessable. Pretty much anyone will grow to like this book very much; anyone who has read it previously will love it immediately.

This I guarantee to you, dear friend!

I really enjoyed this book.
I knew i would before i bought it. Chances are other reviews say this already.
But check out www.qwantz.com. This book has the first comic through to somewhere in 2005.
Pretty straight forward.
All the comics are in black and white in this book. Which let me tell you is actually disappointing because the dinosaur expressions suffer.

This book is fantastic. If you are a fan of dinosaur comics, then this book provides is great because of its portability and also because it is very classy b+w. If you are not a fan of dinosaur comics this book is a classy, black and white representation of the comics from the popular webcomic. I have no real reason to repeat what many others have said about Mr. North's work, but I will anyways. It was said best this way:

"Picture watching the same movie again and again, where the dialogue is changed so completely, and with so much skill that you forget that you've seen these images before. Now picture that every day for two years. That's Dinosaur Comics."

This is that, in book form. Awesome.

It must have been hard to pick the 'best' of Dinosaur Comic, because it's all genius. You should buy this book. It will make you more Awesome, and perhaps sexy.

If you enjoy Dinosaur Comics, you must purchase and read this book. After reading this book, I became a popular and successful person, and because chronology = causality, I attribute my good fortune to this book!

Also, you know who HASN'T purchased this book? Child molestors and shoplifters. You're not a child molestor and/or shoplifter, are you?

-Matt

P.S. See if you can spot the two logical fallacies in this review! If you spotted at least 50% of them, you are eligible to purchase this book immediately!

A most unique book!. If the reader is a fan of Mad magazine, vintage cars (luxobarges), art, satire, etc., prepare for a treat. Top notch illustrations of impossible machines faux vintage advertising of the past. Its truly funny! He pokes fun at the gluttonous elite life of the rich with excellent illustrations. This book changes frequently and takes some time to absorb it all up.

I just ordered a copy of the 1999 Barnes and Noble (reprint... not original publisher, Knoppf) hardcover edition of Bruce McCall's Zany Afternooons.

Much to my surprise, they have replaced four pages found in the original with four different pages I've never seen before.

The original paperback edition from 1982 on page 114 - 117 featured "Stewardesses of the Emerging Nations" - RwandaAir and all that jazz. The new printing has replaced that material with "The Adventures of The Hotel Throckmorton, est. 1906." This new (?) material (though still funny) is not nearly as good - even though my Dad and I both agree that "Stewardesses..." was probably our least favorite section of the original. But why the replacement? Was the orignal artwork misplaced? Very very odd.

One thing to note that I JUST spotted after years of faithful reading, one the airplanes featured in this original section was one of the first commercial jetliners that flew for British Airways... the De Havilland Comet. Infamous in real life for it's disastrous window blowouts. The plane originally had square windows which would occasionally blow out at altitude causing the entire fleet to be scrapped. Looks like the "Airlines of Emerging Nations" contained an extra insider "joke" from Mr. McCall.

As the odiferous prose of Monsieur McCall slides over your cerebellum, the effect on sanity is rather similar to the effect of hot water on snow. A melting and dissipation takes precedence, rendering the subject either harmless or dangerously psychotic. All in all, hooray for everything - especially this book.

...I have to say that this book is as close as I've ever come to perfection in humour. It completely matches my sense of the absurd and has such historical accuracy. The bloke really is a genius. My copy has long since fallen to pieces and I spend my life trying to buy back the copies that I gave away. Interestingly enough, many people just don't get it. You need to have a sense of what he is mocking I guess.

The funniest thing that I have ever read and looked at, this is after reading and looking at it for 20 years!!

Most highly recommended of all.

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